New York City Police Department

News about New York City Police Department, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 31, 2015

New York Police Dept report finds body camera rules should be revised; suggests officers should turn on cameras more often when engaging with suspects, and less often with victims and informers; report is issued by department's inspector general. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

New York State Supreme Court Judge Alice Schlesinger orders release of misconduct findings against New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who held Eric Garner in chokehold; critics say law hides records and supports NYPD's so-called blue wall of silence. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

New York City Police Commissioner William J Bratton says he will not stay on job through Mayor Bill de Blasio's second term if he is re-elected. MORE

Jul. 22, 2015

New York City police, while recording fewer arrests and stops, are focusing attention on few hundred teenagers and young men who they believe are responsible for many fatal shootings around city; shift in strategy, which Police Commissioner William J Bratton calls 'quality policing, not quantity policing,' presents difficulties as victims and witnesses to crimes are often unwilling to testify or cooperate with investigators. MORE

Jul. 20, 2015

Rachel L Swarns The Working Life column highlights story of Corye Douglas, black college graduate who passed the NYPD police officer exam in 2011 but says hiring process went cold without notice in 2013; argues that Douglas's case underscores administrative problems in department that have stymied qualified African-American applicants even as force seeks to diversify; holds that Douglas's example undermines department's claim that criminal records among African-American men is to blame for lack of hiring. MORE

Jul. 18, 2015

New York City Police Dept announces that 19 police officers in Bronx have been charged with wrongdoing and face disciplinary action; internal audit found that 55 crime reports that incorrectly classified crimes and made complaints seem less serious than they were, which helped 40th Precinct seem better at policing that it actually was. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Calls to change policing persist year after police chokehold death of Eric Garner on Staten Island; parts of New York try to move on from his killing, but reform movement continues; settlement over family's wrongful-death claim does not mandate changes in police practices. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Authorities say Samuel Thornton, man suspected of attacking off-duty New York police officer and stealing her department-issued gun, is arrested in Philadelphia; officer was carrying gun in her purse, in apparent violation of department regulations. MORE

Jul. 16, 2015

Debate over enforcement of quality-of-life crimes continues as New York City Police Department considers reducing charge for public urination from misdemeanor to violation. MORE

Jul. 16, 2015

Off-duty police officer in Bronx is attacked by man who steals department-issued handgun from her purse; assault illustrates why officers are told not to carry weapons in anything other than holsters on their bodies. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

Family of Eric Garner, Staten Island man who died at hands of police in 2014, sign $5.9 million settlement with New York City comptroller Scott M Stringer but say agreement does not mean end to their call for reform; ask for federal charges to be brought MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at memorial marking one-year anniversary of death of Eric Garner; chooses words carefully in attempt to strike balance between concerns of citizens and police officials. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

United States monitor Peter L Zimroth, hired to oversee reform process of New York City Police Dept, issues report that calls for broader, more scientific plan to better gauge impact of capturing video on police stops and community relations. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

United States monitor Peter L Zimroth finds that some New York City police officers are detaining people for questioning but not documenting it, raising questions of whether significant decline in stop-and-frisk activity is accurate. MORE

Jul. 7, 2015

New York City agrees to pay total of $322,500 to six Occupy Wall Street protesters who say they were unjustly pepper-sprayed by Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna, while peacefully corralled behind police netting, in September 2011. MORE

Jul. 6, 2015

Rachel Swarns The Working Life column examines difficult task facing New York Police Department recruiters as initiative from Mayor Bill de Blasio to increase number of African-American officers rolls out. MORE

Jul. 1, 2015

Editorial largely supports New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton's opposition to bills proposed by City Council aimed at curbing police abuses like 2014 chokehold that led to death of Eric Garner on Staten Island; holds most of the bills represent intrusions that would hinder smart policing, but contends set of proposals known as the Right to Know Act could help toward building public trust. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

New York City Police Commissioner William J Bratton, in response to City Council bill aimed at criminalizing police use of chokeholds, announces Police Dept will narrow its definition of maneuver and provide exemptions to ban. MORE

Jun. 28, 2015

Life of Samuel J Battle, New York Police Dept's first black officer, who entered force in 1911, is chronicled in book One Righteous Man: Samuel Battle and the Shattering of the Color Line in New York by journalist Arthur Brown; book is based on manuscript written by poet Langston Hughes. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

Editorial expresses relief that dispute between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton has ended in decision to expand police force by 1,300 officers; argues that time has come to focus on community-oriented policing and reducing the intimidating image of police in many neighborhoods; cites safer public housing and calmer streets in the Bronx and Brooklyn as important goals. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in surprising budget reversal on police hiring, announces addition of 1,297 officers to city's police force; aides say decision is not response to recent city-wide rise in crime. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

New York City Police Commissioner William J Bratton embraces neighborhood policing approach as central part of his forthcoming 'plan of action' for changes to department; approach will involve assigning hundreds of new officers to fixed areas of their precinct and give them time to focus on community concerns without being interrupted by 911 calls. MORE

Jun. 23, 2015

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is poised to hire 1,300 additional police officers as part of $78.5 billion budget reached with city leaders; de Blasio stresses that his pledge remains to also improve police-community relations. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Interviews and previously undisclosed documents provide deeper perspective on how seemingly routine police encounter led to 2014 choking death of Eric Garner; tensions between police and Garner had been building long before fatal confrontation; omission from initial police report that officer had used choke-hold, as well as fact that emergency medical workers withheld potentially life-saving oxygen, may have influenced grand jury; detailed timeline of events surrounding Garner's death given. MORE

Jun. 13, 2015

Political Memo; administration of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio notes decline in number of police stop-and-frisk tactics began under his predecessor Michael R Bloomberg; observation is motivated by criticism that policy change has led to uptick in crime, particularly of shootings and homicides, and stands in contrast to way de Blasio used to take credit for decline in stops. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

New York City Council approves new package of disability pension benefits for police officers and firefighters, measure that made it from Mayor Bill de Blasio to full passage in less than 24 hours; move is opposed by Gov Andrew M Cuomo and leaders of the police and fire unions, who criticize lightning-fast pace and who had been pushing for more robust package; increases tension between Cuomo and de Blasio, who saw package as compromise that would not overtax city finances. MORE

Jun. 6, 2015

Patrick J Lynch is re-elected as president of New York City Patrolmen's Benevolent Assn after defeating opponents Brian Fusco and Ronald Wilson, who were first to challenge Lynch in decade; victory comes months after engaging in public battle with Mayor Bill de Blasio over protests against death of Eric Garner. MORE

Jun. 6, 2015

Editorial contends apparent discord between New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton over police staffing is larger source of concern than uptick in shootings and homicides in certain precincts; says shrill warnings are overblown, but united front is needed between de Blasio and Bratton to keep city safe and perpetuate what still appears to be overall trend of falling crime. MORE

May. 30, 2015

Profile of former New York City Police Officer John T Downer, who joined force in 1941 and is one of only still-living high-ranking police officials who served in department before World War II; Downer's experience offers insight into how department and profession has changed and remained the same. MORE

May. 22, 2015

New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito has veered away from Mayor Bill de Blasio's agenda in asserting that city must hire 1,000 new police officers; Democrat has made criminal justice reform central goal of her second year as speaker. MORE

May. 18, 2015

Class-action lawsuit lead by plaintiff Sharif L Stinson alleges that New York City police officers have engaged in illegal pattern of issuing summonses in the absence of crime or without probable cause; records show that one-fifth of the 3.8 million summonses issued between 2007 and 2014 were thrown out on grounds of legal insufficiency. MORE

May. 15, 2015

Civilian Complaint Review Board report says there were 26 false official statements by New York City police officers in 2014, equal to total of four previous years; increased recording by civilians has helped document cases. MORE

May. 15, 2015

Civil rights lawyers send letter to New York City Police Commissioner William J Bratton asking him to address questioning of 11 people who were arrested at protests over Eric Garner case; say questioning was improper and violated federal consent decree. MORE

May. 10, 2015

Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, New York City's largest police union, has been defined for years by loud, combative approach of president Patrick J Lynch, whose highly publicized clash with Mayor Bill de Blasio has now created dissent among members; Brian Fusco and Ronald Wilson are running for his seat in first contested PBA election in ten years. MORE

May. 9, 2015

Michael Wilson Crime Scene column asserts that police cars actually make officers more vulnerable to ambush; chronicles several incidents in which New York City policemen were killed in their patrol cars. MORE

May. 8, 2015

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveils $78.3 billion budget containing proposals to reduce income inequality, but not allowing for hiring more police officers; police spokesman says talks with City Hall will continue. MORE

May. 5, 2015

New York City Police Officer Brian Moore dies two days later after being shot by gunman Demetrius Blackwell in Queens, prompting outpouring of grief within New York Police Department; Moore had strong ties to law enforcement--his father, uncle and cousin were New York City police officers--and at young age of 25 he had made over 150 arrests. MORE

May. 1, 2015

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio defends Police Dept, saying they acted appropriately in arresting 143 people marching to protest death of Baltimore black man Freddie Gray while in police custody; Police Commissioner William J Bratton acknowledges more 'assertive' approach by police to keep demonstrators from blocking traffic. MORE

May. 1, 2015

New York City Police Commissioner William J Bratton says he is considering possibility of officers' issuing warnings in lieu of arrests, or even criminal summonses, when dealing with first-time offenders for minor violations of law. MORE

Apr. 29, 2015

Civil liberties activists question legality of New York City police practice of interrogating people arrested at demonstrations about their political affiliations, social media use and involvement in other protests; say practice could stifle activities protected by First Amendment and may violate 1985 consent decree that defines how police may investigate political activity. MORE

Apr. 28, 2015

Report conducted by John Jay College of Criminal Justice finds that number of summonses for minor crimes in New York City have fallen over past decade, but many still result in arrests for failure to appear in court. MORE

Apr. 28, 2015

Editorial expresses appreciation for efforts of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman to add transparency to city's summons system, but urges examination of underlying issue; holds Police Dept is too focused on issuing trivial summonses in minority neighborhoods, as contends plaintiff Sharif Stinson in lawsuit against city. MORE

Apr. 25, 2015

Michael Wilson Crime Scene column chronicles spate of criminal acts perpetrated by people posing as New York City police officers; notes traffic incident involving veteran police Captain William G Taylor, who summoned officers to stop vehicle of civilian Christopher Agoglia after he had bypassed Taylor's personal vehicle using equipment simulating police siren and flashing lights. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

Jim Dwyer About New York column tells story of how, thanks to honest taxi driver, diligent police detective and city's 311 help line, Manhattan man was able to recover laptop he left in trunk of cab. MORE

Apr. 16, 2015

New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito outlines budget proposal that would spend $68.7 million to add 1,000 officers to the New York Police Dept; council receives letter signed by nearly five dozen organizations questioning wisdom of proposal. MORE

Apr. 6, 2015

Profile of Robert K Boyce, chief of New York City's 3,000 detectives, who has played an increasingly visible role within Police Dept; Boyce has been tapped to explain major crimes to media and public, fielding tough questions at news conferences. MORE

Apr. 2, 2015

Detective Patrick Cherry, veteran of the New York City Police Dept, is relegated to desk duty following profanity-laced tirade against Uber driver in Manhattan; rant was captured on video by passenger; Police Commissioner William J Bratton's decisive response comes at time when department is working to retrain officers to better interact with community. MORE

Mar. 30, 2015

Editorial addresses debate over whether to increase size of the New York City Police Department despite historically-low crime rate and sense of civic calm; notes Mayor Bill de Blasio remains open to negotiations with City Council, which strongly supports expansion; argues while there are merits on both sides, departmental reform and reduced petty crime enforcement are more important than size of the city's police force. MORE

Mar. 28, 2015

Op-Ed article by author Katherine Bouton supports New York City's revocation of ban on use of hearing aids by police officers following lawsuit from Officers Daniel Carione and James Phillips; notes officers must still pass hearing test while wearing aids and holds use of aids is no riskier than use of glasses or prosthetic limbs, both of which are allowed. MORE

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A federal monitor filed his first review of how the New York Police Department is complying with court orders to outfit officers with body cameras, provide new training on the laws surrounding street stops and develop policies that guide those tactics.